Perfectly Imperfect: Embracing Real Motherhood

The Parent Empowerment Movement
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Join us, Jenny and Felicia, the co-founders of The Parent Empowerment Movement, as we get real about motherhood—the struggles, the joy, and doing it our own way. We’ll laugh, cry, scream into pillows, and find hope again. With 30+ years of experience working with kids and families, we’re here to remind you that you’re already the perfect mom for your child! No judgment, just support. Let’s ditch expectations and embrace the messy, beautiful reality of parenting—together.

  1. 1D AGO

    Unresolutions - Why You Need to Take Things Off Your Plate

    Are you tired of feeling behind before January is even over? What if this year, instead of setting lofty goals to do more, you set goals to do less? In our Season 3 premiere, Jenny and Felicia introduce the concept of "Unresolutions"—the life-changing practice of taking things off your plate so you actually have the energy to live. Key Takeaways: The "Behind" Trap: Why so many parents start the new year feeling exhausted and behind from holiday recovery, and why it's unfair to expect ourselves to sprint starting January 1st. Defining Unresolutions: An Unresolution is an intentional decision to stop doing something that no longer serves you—from baking everything from scratch to feeling guilty about buying pre-cut vegetables. The Swimming Pool Analogy: Why adding more "good habits" to an already overwhelmed parent is like throwing a bucket of water at someone who is already drowning. The Spiral Staircase: Viewing your personal growth not as a steep mountain climb, but as a spiral staircase where you revisit old challenges with a new, higher perspective. Episode Highlights: We are craving the opportunity to take control back. Why we feel behind after the winter holidays. Why it is hard to take down the holiday decorations. What is an "Unresolution?". The Swimming Pool Analogy (Shoutout to Mrs. Sharif!). The Spiral Staircase metaphor for personal growth. The Vision Board of Unresolutions. Proposing that New Year's resolutions happen on the Spring Equinox. Take Control of Your Plate: Have you listened to this episode and realized you don't even know where to start taking things off your plate? We’ve got you covered. In just a few minutes, you can take control back without reading a giant ebook or watching a long video series. Download our free guide, Three Simple Steps to Take Control Back Over Your Plate, and start making space today. Grab the free tool here: ⁠⁠3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free!

    26 min

  2. 12/14/2025

    Part 2: Talking to Kids About Body Consent (Without the Awkwardness) 

    Description: Continuing from last week's episode, Jenny and Felicia dive deeper into teaching body consent and body safety as kids grow—from preschool all the way to the teenage years. In Part 2, they tackle the tough conversations that arise as children get older. This episode moves beyond simple hugs to discuss online safety for kids, respecting digital privacy, and the crucial difference between "secrets" and "surprises." You'll also learn how to empower teens to set healthy boundaries in their friendships and early relationships. You'll learn: How to use everyday moments (like doctor visits) to reinforce body autonomy. Why respecting a teen's digital privacy builds trust and safety. The "Secrets vs. Surprises" rule: A simple tool to keep kids safe. Practical scripts for talking to older kids about consent in dating. Join us for this essential guide to raising kids who feel safe, respected, and empowered. Resources:  *Here is the app that Jenny recommended for privately sharing pictures: Cluster *Around 30:30 Jenny suggests an exercise of asking, “What are my goals?” to help guide us towards the specific actions we can take and conversations we can start having with our kids. Here are a few of the examples we suggest:  “I want my kid to be safe and responsible when they become sexually active.” “I want my child to know without a doubt that they can come to me for the hard stuff.” “All of my friends felt comfortable around my parents when I was a kid - I want to be that trusted adult for my kid’s friends too.” *If you are looking for time to sit and really think about all of this, here is our tool to get a few “extra” minutes of time: 3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free! Keywords: Body Consent for Teens, Body Safety Rules, Digital Privacy for Kids, Teaching Consent, Body Autonomy, Secrets vs Surprises, Parenting Teens, Healthy Relationships, Child Safety, Parenting Advice, Body Boundaries.

    44 min

  3. 12/07/2025

    Part 1: Talking to Kids About Body Consent (Without the Awkwardness)

    Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of teaching body consent to your kids? You're not alone. In this episode, Jenny and Felicia promise a "no-guilt" zone as they dive into one of parenting's most important topics. They debunk the idea that consent is only for adults, showing how it applies to everyday interactions like forced hugs from relatives, tickling, and doctor appointments. This conversation breaks down how to foster body autonomy and boundaries from an early age—long before the "sex talk." You'll learn: Why respecting a toddler's "no" (even with Grandma) builds trust for future, bigger conversations. How to use correct anatomical terms to empower your child and remove shame. Strategies for navigating awkward moments with family members who might not understand your boundaries. Simple scripts for teaching kids that they are the boss of their own bodies. Join us for a supportive conversation on building a foundation of safety and confidence that will serve your child for life. 3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free!

    38 min

  4. 11/30/2025

    The "Ber" Months: How to Survive the Holiday Rush Without Burning Out

    Is your holiday season filled with joy or just a really long to-do list? In this episode, Jenny and Felicia share practical strategies for decluttering your holiday obligations to prevent burnout. Learn how to identify your top three priorities—your "Holiday Non-Negotiables"—so you can confidently say no to everything else without guilt. From reusing old family photos for Christmas cards to skipping the events that don't light you up, they offer actionable tips for simplifying your celebrations. Tune in to find out how doing less can actually give you and your family more of the holiday spirit you crave. Tool from this episode: Jenny's Blog Post: Putting off an expectation until later  3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free!

    41 min

  5. 11/25/2025

    Part 3: From "Mom Guilt" to "Mom Badassery"

    How do you stop the guilt from coming back after the crisis is over? In Part 3 of the Bike Story, Jenny shares the final piece of her healing journey: learning to join hands with her inner critic instead of fighting it. She introduces Mirror Talk as a tool for conflict resolution within yourself—a way to validate your fear while firmly guiding yourself back to the truth. This episode is a powerful conclusion to the series, showing how a simple shift in self-talk allowed Jenny to rewrite the story of a traumatic accident into one of resilience, leaving her with "unbreakable trust" in her own mothering. The video Jenny recommends in this episode: Why Good Parents Feel Like Frauds (and what to do about it)  Here is a couple of simple tools so you can easily model this key conflict-resolution tool for your kids and how to get time for yourself as well: Jenny’s Mirror Talk Scripts: Worry - “I don’t know what I’m doing.” “(Your name), you know your kid better than anyone else. That makes you the most qualified expert on your kid, even if you don’t understand every single thing about them.” “Experts work together and ask for help. I am allowed to ask for the help I need to support my family.” Frustration - “Ugh, mom fail!” “(Your name), you are human and you are allowed to make human mistakes.” “I do not have to be perfect to be a good parent.” “I’m focusing on this one mistake, but here are all of the things that I did well that I deserve to give myself credit for…” Anxiety - “Maybe I should have done something else instead.” “(Your name), you did the very best you could, and that made a difference for your family.” “When that happened, I nailed this one part of it...” “I don’t know about __________, but I know a lot about ____________, and I used that wisdom to make the best decisions I could for myself and my family.” Shame - “I can’t believe I did that. I’m such a bad mom.” “(Your name), you are a good parent. PERIOD.” “You care so much, and that’s why it feels bad when it’s not perfect… but you gotta remember that perfect was never an option.” “I am still learning alongside my child. My child benefits by seeing my willingness to grow and keep trying, even when I make mistakes.” Our other free tool:3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free! Keywords: Mirror Talk, Parent Guilt, Intrusive Thoughts, Parenting Trauma, Self-Talk for Moms, Resilience, Mom Badassery, Inner Critic, Self-Compassion, Healing Scripts, Overcoming Mom Guilt, Parenting Confidence, Unbreakable Trust.

    28 min

  6. 11/16/2025

    Part 2: From "Mom Guilt" to "Mom Badassery"

    This episode is about what happens after you've held it all together. In Part 2 of the Bike Story, Jenny shares the crucial first steps she took to prevent trauma from taking root. She explains why tending to her "emotional wounds" with the same urgency as the physical ones was key. She gets practical, detailing the first two "critical practices" of her healing weekend: 1) Radically asking for and receiving help , and 2) Using simple energy work, like breathwork , to release the physical sensations of shock and guilt. This is the "how-to" for "clearing the plate" so you can show up as a present, energized mom, even after a crisis. Need help figuring out how to make time to use the tools talked about in this episode? Try  3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free! Keywords: Parent Guilt, Intrusive Thoughts, Parenting Trauma, Mom Guilt, Post-Traumatic Growth, Healing, Resilience, Energy Work, Breathwork, Asking for Help, How to Process Trauma, Coping Skills, Mom Badassery, Self-Compassion.

    31 min

  7. 11/09/2025

    Part 1: From "Mom Guilt" to "Mom Badassery"

    How do you stop a traumatic event from becoming lasting trauma? This 3-part miniseries kicks off with Jenny sharing the raw, detailed story of a terrifying bike crash she had with her son. In Part 1, you'll hear the details of the accident, the scary trip to the ER, and the immediate wave of parent guilt and intrusive thoughts that followed. This is a story about facing a parent's worst fears and the "mom badassery" that comes from choosing to heal. This episode is for any parent who has faced a hard day and needs to know they're not alone. It lays the foundation for the specific tools Jenny used to navigate the aftermath—tools you can use, too.Sometimes we need a moment to catch our breath and just “not”. If you find yourself agreeing but don’t know how to get it…try this tool - completely free. 3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free! Keywords: Parent Guilt, Intrusive Thoughts, Parenting Trauma, Mom Guilt, Scary Parenting Moments, Overcoming Trauma, Child Accident, Resilience, Healing, Post-Traumatic Growth, Mom Badassery, Self-Compassion, Self-Forgiveness, Bike Accident.

    24 min

  8. 11/02/2025

    The Mirror Trick: Your Secret Tool for Hard Parenting Days

    In this special solo episode, Jenny shares the single most powerful tool she credits with transforming her life: MirrorTalk. If you've ever felt alone during a naptime battle , defeated by toddler toothbrushing , or crippled by self-doubt, this is the pep talk you need. Jenny breaks down the simple, practical steps to turn your mirror into your own personal coach. Learn how to "call in" imaginary hype-people (like Cher!) to celebrate your wins and how to have a rational conversation with your fear to remind it who's in charge. This is the how-to guide for changing your self-talk today. Need help figuring out what can be taken off your plate so you have a moment to try out this technique? Try our free tool: 3 Easy Steps for more Time, Energy, and Support - Totally Free! Keywords: Mirror Talk, Negative Self-Talk, Positive Self-Talk, Parenting Tool, Parenting Hack, Mom Burnout, Toddler Tantrums, Toddler Toothbrushing , Self-Doubt , Self-Confidence , Overcoming Fear, Pep Talk, How to Be Confident, Parent Empowerment, Solo Episode

    15 min
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About

Join us, Jenny and Felicia, the co-founders of The Parent Empowerment Movement, as we get real about motherhood—the struggles, the joy, and doing it our own way. We’ll laugh, cry, scream into pillows, and find hope again. With 30+ years of experience working with kids and families, we’re here to remind you that you’re already the perfect mom for your child! No judgment, just support. Let’s ditch expectations and embrace the messy, beautiful reality of parenting—together.

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